Tubular-rail joint



(No Mod-e1.)

R. MANNESMANN. TUBULAR RAIL. JoINT.

No. 548,998. Patented 088i 29, 1895.4

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REINHARD MANNESMANN, CE REMSCHEID, GERMANY, AssIeNoR To THE MANNEsMANNTUBE COMPANY, on JERSEY CITY, NEw JERSEY.

TUBULAR-RAIL JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,998, dated October29, 1895.

Application tiled March 6, 1895. Serial No. 540,767- (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, REINHARD MANNES- MANN, a citizen of Germany,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of NewYork,have invented new and useful Improvements in Tubular- Rail Joints, ofwhich the following is a specification.

. In the construction or manufacture of various articles from tubes,such as frames of any kind, railings for cars, carriages, or vehicles,buildings, and ,many other purposes, the tubular parts are ordinarilyconnected by brazing, soldering, or casting metal about the joints, orby screw-threaded union-couplings into which the tubes are screwed.

lIn all prior methods the joints are difficult and troublesome toconstruct, and materially increase the expense of the railing or otherarticle or frame, and in addition to this the jointsare liable to breakor become disconnected, especially if subjected to excessive vibrations.

The objects of my invention are to avoid the objections stated; toprovide novel, simple, efficient, and economical means for uniting tubesWhere one tube passes through another; to provide such a construction ofthe parts that they cannot become disconnected or separated under`ordinary circumstances or if subjected to excessive jars or. vibrations,and to entirely avoid brazing, soldering, and screw-threading the partstogether.

To accomplish all these objects, the invention consists, essentially, inatubular structure composed of a tube formed with a transverse orificeand another tube extending through said orifice and having a part of itsshell struck into engagement with the interior of the other tube toprevent movement of the two tubes relatively to each other.

The invention also consists in a tubular structure composed of a tubehaving a transverse orifice through its shell and another tube extendingthrough the transverse orifice and fianged into engagement with the edgeof the said orifice.

The invention also consists in certain other features of constructionhereinafter described two tubes connected or united according to myinvention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation showing a modification of the invention, and Fig. 4 is asectional view of the modified construction.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use myinvention, I will now describe the same in detail, referring to thedrawings, wherein- `The numerals l and 2 indicate two tubes, arranged,as here shown, at right angles to each other.

The tubes are preferably made according to the well'known Mannesmannmethod or process of producing seamless elastic tubes of steel or othermetal; butA my present invention is useful in connection with tubes ofany kind, and therefore I do not wish to confine myself to anyparticular method or process of manufacturing the tubes.

The shell of the tube 1 is constructed with a transverse orifice 3,having a form substantially the same as the tube 2 in cross-section. Thetube 2 is then inserted through the transverse orifice, and its shell ata point inside of 4the tube l is perforated by suitable tools in suchmanner as to produce or strike up a fiange 4, which projects laterallyand engages behind the edge of the transverse orifice.

I prefer to construct the tube 2 at a point inside the tube l, so thatoppositely-projecting flanges 4 and 5 are produced. This can beaccomplished in any suitable manner-as, for instance, by making acomparatively small perforation in one side of the shell of the tube 2by the employment of a pointed instrument and gradually Working theinstrument therethrough, so that the metal is flanged outwardly-as, forinstance, as at 5. The other flange 4 can be formed, after the fiange 5has been constructed, by forcing a larger tool through the shell of thetube opposite the flange 5, so as to force the metal outward and producethe flange 4.

The interlocking engagement of the tubes by a flanged construction ofone of the tubes provides a joint which effectually preventsdisconnection or separation of the tubes and entirely avoids connectingtubular parts by brazing, soldering, or casting metal about the joints,or employing screw-threaded union- IOO couplings into which the tubesare screwed.

In the modification, Figs. 3 and 4, the tubes G and 7 are flattened outat the joint and the transverse orifice 8, pierced through the shell ofthe tube 7, is of an oblong form to correspond to the oblong formimparted to the tube 6, where the latter lies in the transverse orice.The tube 7 is preferably provided in the first instance with a circularorilice and the tube 6 inserted through said orifice to the extentdesired, after which the parts are compressed to flatten them together,and a part of the shell of the tube 6 is expanded laterally in anoutward direction or is struck up With a part which engages theinteriorol:` the tube 7, whereby the two tubes are firmly andpermanently united, and movements of the same relatively io each otherare prevented.

The tubes connected together in the manner described and shown can beused for many purposes not necessary to specifically mention. Theinvention, however, is particularly designed for railings intended forcars, carriages, and other vehicles, and for frames of any kind composedof tubular parts.

Having thus described lmy invention, what I claim is- 1. In a tubularstructure, the combination of a tube formed with a transverse orifice,With a tube extending through said orice and having a part of its shellstruck into engagement with the interior ot the other tube to preventmovement of both tubes relatively to each other, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a tubular structure, the combination of a tube having a transverseorifice through its shell, With a tube extending through said orificeand flanged into engagement with an edge thereof, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a tubular rail joint, the combination of a metal tube having atransverse oritice through its shell, with a tube extending through saidorifice and having its shell perforated and struck up with a flangewhich en gages the inside of the edge ot the transverse orice,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

REINHARD MANNESMANN.

Witnesses:

EMIL KIPPER, ALBERT H. NoRRIs.

